Bites & Sips - In search of pizza burgers

Published: Monday, August 11, 2014 at 8:40 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, August 11, 2014 at 8:40 a.m.

Who has the best lunch specials? What ever happened to that old diner? Where can I find a whole hog to cook?

We handle all kinds of questions from StarNews readers through our MyReporter.com site, and several food related queries have landed in my inbox since we launched the feature in 2008.

Linda Bullard made a recent inquiry that sent me on a snaking adventure through Southeast North Carolina diner lore, asking if we could possibly secure a recipe for the pizza burger served at the iconic Mil-Jo drive-in that closed on Oleander Drive in 1974.

In short, Linda, the answer is no. But hopefully we can salvage your question by providing a look at what has proven to be a unique menu item.

Given that it's been 40 years since anybody's tasted one (the Mil-Jo was already three years gone when I was born,) hunting down specific details about this rare bird has been tricky, and more than a few conflicting memories further obscure the target.

One thing isn't hazy: Wilmingtonians loved their pizza burgers. "It was great and I have never found any that tasted that good," remembers longtime area resident Sandy Kreuter. "It was the way they made the sauce; it was the best ever. It was thick and the flavor was great."

At the heart of the burger was a well-seasoned beef patty, and arguably the hardest obstacle to overcome in recreating the dish. "Trying to explain a pizza burger is like trying to tell someone what a banana tastes like. You had to be there," explained former area restaurateur and current Wilmington councilman Charlie Rivenbark. "I asked (late owner) Joe Hines once for the recipe and he told me that he bought them from one of his suppliers. I ate hundreds of them."

Toppings are a little cloudier. Some recall red sauce and mozzarella, possibly with finely chopped onions. Others remember the standard lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mustard, among the variations mentioned.

However it was constructed, it's safe to say pizza burgers – once a diner staple around the country well represented in places from St. Louis to Long Island – are harder to come by these days. But there are a few notable exceptions in eastern North Carolina.

To begin this journey, hop in the car and head due north to Wilson. The Burger Boy at 201 Ward Blvd. has been serving customers since 1969, and their pizza burger remains a bargain at just $3.39. An atypical affair, theirs features an oblong patty with mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce mixed directly into the ground beef, most frequently served topped with ketchup and occasionally mayonnaise.

Bounce southeast from there, with coordinates set for El's Drive-In at 3706 Arendell St. in Morehead City. A timeless burger joint has operated from its current location since 1959, and their pizza burger has long held a spot on the menu. In El's version, a conventional patty is topped with American cheese, mustard, onions and a healthy dose of pizza sauce. "It's so consistently asked for that we haven't taken it off the menu," owner Gail Franks said speculating on the burger's enduring appeal. "Maybe because it's just different, it's unique."

A newcomer in Wilmington triangulates the destinations, with a pizza burger featured on the menu at Courts & Sports Bar & Grill. This restaurant opened at 3525 Lancelot Lane in 2012, and their broad burger offerings includes one dressed with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and fresh chopped basil for $10.

Contact Paul Stephen at 343-2041 or Paul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline.com. Find him on Twitter @pauljstephen, or drop a note at the Port City Foodies' Facebook page.

<p>Who has the best lunch specials? What ever happened to that old diner? Where can I find a whole hog to cook?</p><p>We handle all kinds of questions from StarNews readers through our MyReporter.com site, and several food related queries have landed in my inbox since we launched the feature in 2008.</p><p>Linda Bullard made a recent inquiry that sent me on a snaking adventure through Southeast North Carolina diner lore, asking if we could possibly secure a recipe for the pizza burger served at the iconic Mil-Jo drive-in that closed on Oleander Drive in 1974.</p><p>In short, Linda, the answer is no. But hopefully we can salvage your question by providing a look at what has proven to be a unique menu item.</p><p>Given that it's been 40 years since anybody's tasted one (the Mil-Jo was already three years gone when I was born,) hunting down specific details about this rare bird has been tricky, and more than a few conflicting memories further obscure the target.</p><p>One thing isn't hazy: Wilmingtonians loved their pizza burgers. "It was great and I have never found any that tasted that good," remembers longtime area resident Sandy Kreuter. "It was the way they made the sauce; it was the best ever. It was thick and the flavor was great."</p><p>At the heart of the burger was a well-seasoned beef patty, and arguably the hardest obstacle to overcome in recreating the dish. "Trying to explain a pizza burger is like trying to tell someone what a banana tastes like. You had to be there," explained former area restaurateur and current Wilmington councilman <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic74"><b>Charlie Rivenbark</b></a>. "I asked (late owner) Joe Hines once for the recipe and he told me that he bought them from one of his suppliers. I ate hundreds of them."</p><p>Toppings are a little cloudier. Some recall red sauce and mozzarella, possibly with finely chopped onions. Others remember the standard lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mustard, among the variations mentioned.</p><p>However it was constructed, it's safe to say pizza burgers – once a diner staple around the country well represented in places from St. Louis to Long Island – are harder to come by these days. But there are a few notable exceptions in eastern North Carolina.</p><p>To begin this journey, hop in the car and head due north to Wilson. The Burger Boy at 201 Ward Blvd. has been serving customers since 1969, and their pizza burger remains a bargain at just $3.39. An atypical affair, theirs features an oblong patty with mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce mixed directly into the ground beef, most frequently served topped with ketchup and occasionally mayonnaise.</p><p>Bounce southeast from there, with coordinates set for El's Drive-In at 3706 Arendell St. in Morehead City. A timeless burger joint has operated from its current location since 1959, and their pizza burger has long held a spot on the menu. In El's version, a conventional patty is topped with American cheese, mustard, onions and a healthy dose of pizza sauce. "It's so consistently asked for that we haven't taken it off the menu," owner Gail Franks said speculating on the burger's enduring appeal. "Maybe because it's just different, it's unique." </p><p>A newcomer in Wilmington triangulates the destinations, with a pizza burger featured on the menu at Courts & Sports Bar & Grill. This restaurant opened at 3525 Lancelot Lane in 2012, and their broad burger offerings includes one dressed with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and fresh chopped basil for $10.</p><p>Contact <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9919"><b>Paul Stephen</b></a> at 343-2041 or Paul.Stephen@StarNewsOnline.com. Find him on <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a> @pauljstephen, or drop a note at the Port City Foodies' <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/facebook"><b>Facebook</b></a> page.</p>